Columbia Heights Target opens pleasantly

I live in Columbia Heights, DC. I just got to work after heading to our brand new, fine French departmentstore, Tar-jay. Unfortunately, unlike the Prince of Petworth, I did not get a royal invite to the party. But I do have some observations.

I was very impressed with the customer service in particular and the genuine excitement from the employees in general. People were smiling, kind, and courteous: they really did want to help.

About five other random shoppers/casual observers spoketo me about their happiness that Target was opening. You could almostsee the relief in their face as they took it all in, fully
internalizing that they don’t have to make the trek out to Prince George’s plaza or Wheaton anymore to make their department store purchases.

One older gentleman said to me: “I can’t believe it. I’m impressed. About a department store” (emphasis mine, natch). Another woman said “I have a dog, and I have to keep him right, and now that Target is here, I may come every day.”

It was nice to see some sense of civic pride there, as people were happy to have a new job in a new store in a part of town that needed a development anchor. Although we can all list a litany of shortcomings/ problems with this kind of development, I hope that the positives for the community psyche mitigate some of them.